Asked about Okoye’s manhandling of the 312-pound Martin, Jim Harbaugh noted the obvious: “The bull rush, right now, is a real strength for him,” he said.

Of course, even during his awkward first practices last summer, strength wasn’t an issue for Okoye, a former British Olympic discus thrower who boasts a chiseled 6-foot-6, 304-pound physique.

And no one questioned his athleticism. Last year, Okoye’s pre-draft broad jump (10 feet, 5 inches) would have ranked 14th among 34 wide receivers at the 2013 combine.

But Okoye quickly found being a hulking physical marvel couldn’t compensate for his inexperience. Three months after first sporting shoulder pads, he participated in his first training camp and discovered his severe limitations.

Looking back, he finds it hard to look.

“I can’t really watch last year’s tape,” Okoye said. “It’s too hard to watch. I just cringe watching that. Now I feel like a football player. Now it’s time to just keep progressing.”

And Okoye, 22, who spent last year on injured reserve, remains a work in progress. He still has trouble multi-tasking in the trenches, struggling to locate a ball carrier while engaged with an offensive lineman. In addition, he needs to develop moves to complement his bull rush. Finally, his height isn’t necessarily an asset at his position.

“There’s a lot more to go,” Okoye said. “If I’m satisfied with where I’m at now, I’m selling myself short. (Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula) made that very clear to me: ‘If you hang your hat on what you’ve done so far, you’re not going to last.’”

Okoye’s best shot at sticking with the 49ers appears to be on the eight-man practice squad. The 49ers are teeming with young backup defensive linemen, a group that includes 2013 draft picks Tank Carradine and Quinton Dial. Both Dial and Carradine dealt with injuries as rookies, but have looked impressive early in training camp.

Okoye is bolstering his chances of making the 53-man roster by playing special teams. In the spring, his unique blend of size and speed was on display when he closed quickly on fleet cornerback Darryl Morris on a kickoff-return drill.

His chances of playing in the regular season appear slight, but it’s worth noting Okoye’s history of improbably leaping from amateur to expert: Two years after taking up track, the former junior rugby player broke the 13-year-old British record in the discus and reached the finals at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

In the midst of his next challenge, he’s enjoying the ability to make an impact. Just ask Martin.

“I think I enjoy the collision aspect,” Okoye said of his attraction to football. “When I played rugby that was a big deal for me and I missed that when I left. I just felt like it was a sport where I could let loose a bit.”